Thomas griffith



(No Model.)

T. GRIFFITH. GAR COUPLING.

No. 545,795. Patented Sept. 3,1895.

. 1 u i I 1 4 WITNESSES: 6 6 J INVENTOH A TTOHNEYS.

Nrrn

Fierce.

TnoMAseRIFFITI-I, on THE UNITED sTATEs ARMY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,795, datedSeptember 3, 1895.

Application filed April 16, 1895. Serial No. 545,978- (No model.)

To aZZ whm it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, THOMAS GRIFFITH,.Of the United States Army,stationed at Columbus Barracks, in the county of Franklin'and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in: CarCouplers, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of carcouplers or coupling devices, wherein the draw-heads at opposite ends ofthe cars are provided each with a hook and an eye adapted, respectively,to be engaged by similar but oppositely-arranged eyes and hooks on theadjacent end of another car; and the object of the invention is toprovide a car coupler or couplingdevice of this general character. whichshalll present certain features of novelty and advantages for use overother similar devices heretofore employedfall as will be hereinafterfully set forth. a p

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar figures of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a plan view showing two coupling devices constructedaccording to my invention adapted to be secured to adjacent ends of twocars to be coupled together. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,showing the position of. the parts with relation to the platforms of thecars, the cars appearing partly.-

in section. Fig. 3 is an end View showing the fragment of a car-platformprovided with a coupling constructed according to my invention. Fig. 4is a side view somewhat similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modifiedarrangement of the couplingdevice's; and Fig. 5 is a view showing anarrangement ofthe coupling constructed according to my invention,where-,

through it, said aperture being aligned with an inclined or beveledguide-surface 7, formed on the end oftheextension 5, as indicated indotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full linesinFig. 3. At the opposite sideof the draw-head i is formed a journal 8, wherein is pivoted, by meansof a bolt 9, a coupling-bar 10, having at its forward end a hook 11,provided with a beveled or inclined front face, as clearly seen, andadapted to round over the inclined face 7 at the forward end of theextension 5 on the opposite draw-head, said bar being connected by meansof a spring 12 to the under side of the car-platform in such a mannerthat when the hook 11 has passed under the forward extension 5 of theopposite draw-head it will be drawn upward and caused to entertheaperture 6 therein, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The draw-heads 4 4 at adjacent ends ofthe cars to be coupled togetherare of exactly similar construction, excepting that the forwardextension 5 of one drawhead is arranged opposite the coupling-bar'lO ofthe other drawhead, and in order to disengage the hooks 11 from .theapertures 6, I prefer to provide on each car a device whereby .Ihc bar10 of the draw-head of that particularcarand the hook 11 of thecoupling-bar of the other car may be simultaneously pressed down, so asto disengage the respective hooksfrom the aper-.

extend in opposite directions, as clearly seen.

The shafts 14 are arranged in the platforms opposite. the apertures 6 ofthe respective draw-heads, and the bifurcations 17 extend laterally onopposite sides of the shaft and are bent down, as clearly seen in Fig.3, one of said bifurcations being adapted to pass through the aperture 6into engagement with the hook 11, engaging therewitln and the oppositebifurcation is carried down and connected with the coupling-bar 10. Inthis manner it will be seen that when the head 15 of the shaft 14 isdepressed the bifurcations 17 of said shaft will force down therespective hooks 11, so that saidhooks no longer engage the apertures 6in the draw-head extensions, whereby the cars are uncoupled.

In order to conveniently press down the head 15 of shaft let, I preferto employ the construction seen in Fig. 3, which comprises a lever 18,pivoted at 19 on the car-platform and provided with a projection or arm20 at one side, so arranged that when said lever is swung on its pivotsaid arm 20 will engage the head 15 and depress the shaft 14 in such amanner as to uncouple the cars.

The construction seen in Fig. 4 is very similar to that above described,excepting that the draw-heads 4 are inverted and. the couplinghooks 10are adapted to be raised by engagement with the beveled ends of theextensions 5 and to drop from above into the apertures 6, as will bereadily seen. In this form of the coupling the bars 10 are provided attheir upper sides with hooks 21, adapted for connection with chains orlevers mounted on the carplatform, whereby the bars may be convenientlymanipulated.

The car-coupling constructed as above described is of an exceedinglysimple and inexpensive construction, and its working parts are of suchform as to be adapted for usage without liability of breakage. Moreover,the parts are, as will be readily seen, interchangeable, and in caseeither of them should become broken or damaged it may be readily removedand replaced with little loss of time and labor.

In Fig. 5 l have shown a coupling constructed according to my inventionpivoted at its rear end to the king-bolt 22 of the cartruck 23, so as tobe capable of a certain degree of lateral or swinging movement. In thisarrangement of the device the draw-head 1 is constructed with a chamber24 at its rear end to receive the headed end 25 of the drawbar, which isprovided with a stout spring 26. To hold the draw-head in its properposition the same is provided with curved guide-rods 27, projecting fromits opposite sides, whereon are coiled springs 28, the ends of whichabut against the truck-frame 23, which is provided with bearings 23*,through which said guide rods 27 play. In this way it will be seen thatwhen the draw-head is moved laterally .in either direction, one of thesprings 28 is compressed and acts by its tension to return the draw-headto its normal central position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a car coupling, a drawhead having at one side aperforation and at the other side a pivoted coupling bar provided withan upturned hook, said hook and perforation being adapted to be'engagedby a correspondingly located perforation and hook on an opposingdrawhead, and a spring connected to said hook and adapted to hold thesame normally in operative position substantially as set forth.

2. In a car coupling, the combination of a drawhead having an apertureat one side, a coupling bar pivoted to the opposite side of the drawheadand having an upwardly projecting hook in advance of the aperture in thedrawhead, said hook and aperture being adapted for engagement,respectively, with a correspondingly located aperture and hook on anopposing drawhead, and a spring connected to said coupling bar andadapted to hold the same normally in a raised position, substantially asset forth.

3. In a car coupling, the combination of a drawhead having an apertureextendingv through it at one side, a coupling bar pivoted at theopposite side of the drawhead and pro vided with an upwardly projectinghook, said hook and aperture being adapted for engagement with acorrespondingly located aperture and hook on an opposing drawhead, aspring connected to the coupling bar and adapted to hold the samenormally raised in its operative position, a vertically movable shaftmounted on the car platform and provided with forks at its lower end oneof which is adapted when depressed to extend through the aperture in thedrawhead in position to engage and depress the hook in engagementtherewith, the other fork being adapted when depressed to engage thecoupling bar and move the same down out of its operative position, and aspring connected to said shaft and adapted to hold it in an elevatedposition, substantially as set forth.

4. In a car coupling, the combination of a drawhead having at one sidean aperture and at the other side a hook, said hook and aperture beingadapted, respectively, for engagement with a correspondingly locatedaperture and hook on an opposing-drawhead, a shaft mounted on the carplatform. and provided with forks, one of which is adapted to playthrough the aperture in the drawhead and the other of which is adaptedto engage the said hook, a lever pivoted on the car platform and an armon said lever adapted to engage and actuate said shaft, substantially asset forth.

5. In a car coupling, the combination of a truck frame, having a kingbolt, a drawhead pivoted at its rear end on said king bolt and adaptedfor lateral movement, guide rods connected to said drawhead at oppositesides of its forward part and adapted to guide the same, and springs onsaid guide rods adapted to hold said drawhead normally in a centralposition, substantially as set forth.

6. In a car coupling, the combination of a drawhead having at one sidean aperture and at the other side a hook, said hook and aperture beingadapted respectively for engagement with a correspondingly locatedaperture and hook on an opposing drawhead, a shaft lever pivoted on thecar platform and provided vertically movable in the car platform andwith an arm adapted 'to engage and depress provided with forks, one ofwhich is adapted said shaft, substantially as described.

to play through the aperture in the drawhead THOMAS GRIFFITH. and theother of which engages the hook, it Witnesses: spring mounted on saidshaft and adapted to W. E. WATERS,

' hold the same in an elevated position, and a J. MILLER MCDONALD.

